PLANS to add six phone masts and three dishes to a town centre building near a school and doctors' surgery have been delayed to allow time for safety concerns to be addressed.

Mobile phone giant Orange wants to mount six polar antennas and three dishes at the BT telephone exchange, in Watt Close.

The building's neighbours are St John's Middle School and St John's Surgery.

Jenny Ashmore, of Perry Lane, lives near the site and fears the proposed equipment is a health hazard.

She said: "We don't know what kind of radiation this equipment is giving off and how it can affect health."

On Monday afternoon, Bromsgrove District Council's planning committee members decided Orange should resubmit the scheme to give the authority time to call a meeting at St John's Middle School - which is closed for holidays until September.

Committee member, councillor Katie Gall (Con - Whitford) said: "We have 56 days to process the application and this did not give us adequate time to consult the school.

"We have asked Orange to withdraw and resubmit the proposals so we can organise a school meeting and hopefully arrange for a representative from the mobile company to attend and address concerns."

An Orange spokeswoman said: "We acknowledge public concern regarding the siting of transmitters, however, there is no conclusive evidence that makes a link between exposure to radio waves, transmitter sites and long term public health risks."